


Dammit Steve

by FandomLife54



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Arguing, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Harbor, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bullies, Coppers are Cops, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fights, First Kiss, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt Steve, Love Confessions, M/M, Pie, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Skinny!Steve, Steve Rogers Feels, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 04:04:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4507038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLife54/pseuds/FandomLife54
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You wanna tell me what the hell that was all about?” Bucky kicked the creaky front door shut as he ripped his jacket off and threw it on the couch.</p>
<p>“Landlady’s gonna get mad if we get another noise complaint.” The blond dabbed lightly at the purple swells on his chin and cheeks, scrubbing nonchalantly at the blood under his nose. He winced when Bucky clicked his tongue angrily and stomped into another room. “They were fighting dirty and caught me off guard for a second. Next time-” </p>
<p>“Next time? Are you kidding me, punk?” the brunette shouted from their bedroom over the slamming of drawers. “Uh-uh. Not this time, Steve. You’re gonna let these guys go.”</p>
<p>“No!"</p>
<p>Or Steve and Bucky get into an argument when Steve get's into a fight with 6 men.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dammit Steve

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone! I haven't posted in awhile so I'm nervous. If you decided to read this, thank you very much! I hope you like it. If you do, share a kudo; if you don't, I tried. One of my favorite ships, Stucky, so please enjoy!

“You wanna tell me what the hell that was all about?” Bucky kicked the creaky front door shut as he ripped his jacket off and threw it on the couch.

“Landlady’s gonna get mad if we get another noise complaint.” The blond dabbed lightly at the purple swells on his chin and cheeks, scrubbing nonchalantly at the blood under his nose. He winced when Bucky clicked his tongue angrily and stomped into another room. “They were fighting dirty and caught me off guard for a second. Next time-” 

“Next time? Are you kidding me, punk?” the brunette shouted from their bedroom over the slamming of drawers. “Uh-uh. Not this time, Steve. You’re gonna let these guys go.”

“No! You weren’t there, Buck. You didn’t hear them running their stupid mouths off saying-” Bucky’s wide eyes threatened Steve to say another word as he marched back into the living room, freshly dressed in his grease-stained factory uniform.

“It doesn’t matter what they said, Rogers! Look at us!” he waved his hands between the both of them and Steve willed the courage to look at Bucky, seeing the damage done. Barnes sported a nice shiner, a blackish-blue swallowing half his left eye. His lip bled, busted, a hit he took for the ungrateful sack of skin and bones, and his knuckles rattled in pain from the torn skin and aching cartilage. There were probably half a dozen blotched bruises on his ribs and chest but Steve couldn’t bare the look of despair on Bucky’s face long enough to ask about them.

“You didn’t have’ta save me or nothing. I had them on the ro-”

“There were six of them! A whole mob of fellas a lot bigger than you, Stevie, and if that cop hadn’t shown up, we would be dead.”

“The cop? Bucky, we ran for it before me or you got arrested. Why-?”

“I don’t fucking care whether we got arrested or not!” Bucky slammed his palm against the wall. His chest heaved furiously as he bowed his head to stare at the floor and calm his ragged breathing. “You really think that's why...? You don’t- Just. I mean fuck, Steve. Dammit.” Steve stood there, shocked still, and watched his best friend avoid his gaze entirely as he took a deep breath, straightened his form, and turned around to head for the front door. “Work.” he muttered as and explanation and the soft click of the door shutting rang into the silence. Steve gaped at the figure, dumbfounded, and cringed in misery when it registered just how angry Bucky was. His knees buckled and he collapsed backwards onto their couch. The base of his head sagged as he laid it into the cushion and stared up at the ceiling in disbelief. He had to make things up to Bucky.

….

Steve padded into their apartment for his lunch break at the corner store he cashiered down the block, though appetite and thoughts were lost to him. The fight from that morning vigorously replayed itself in his mind all day. Sharp knives cut into him every time he watched Bucky turn his back and walk out the door. At the memory, Steve's eyes flickered with realization. Bucky didn't have any food with him when he left. He didn't get the chance to pack Bucky a lunch and he knew they didn’t have enough income to carry pocket change for a snack. The blond whipped his head to the clock, manifesting a quick schedule so he could pack some food and run it to Bucky before his break ended. Bucky would still be mad at him but it'd be a cold day in hell before Steve let that stop him from helping his best friend.

Steve strategically placed a number of food items into a paper bag and took off out the door, heading straight to Bucky. The factory came into view as he paced along the harbor's wooden paths, glancing up the gigantic cargo ships as he willed himself to keep going. Bony fingers wrapped around the railings as his lungs wheezed for air and Steve took the moment to look at his reflection in the water below. Even from the distance, Steve could somewhat make out the dark circles on his face and could only imagine how aweful he looked up close. No wonder Bucky was mad at him; he looked wrecked.

"Hey, toothpick!"

....

Bucky slumped down in a chair for his break and groaned out as he wiped his face with his hands. The knots in his stomach hadn't unclasped for a second since he snapped at Steve that morning and he just wanted to apologize. A low grumbling broke through his self loathing and he sighed loudly, throwing his head back in frustration, as he remembered he stormed out without grabbing anything for lunch. Bucky glanced to the clock and wagered if he had time to book it to their apartment and return before lunch was over. If he cut through the harbor like he and Steve always did, he figured he could make it. Maybe Steve would still be at their apartment for his break and he could say sorry then promise to make it up to him later. At least then he could work with a clear conscious. Bucky hopped out of the chair and dashed off towards home. 

....

"Hey, hey, mouse what's with the face? Not happy to see us again so soon?" The black haired man strode forward with five other men trailing close behind, snickering and eyeing Steve like a cornered animal. “I bet you wish that copper was here right now, don’tcha?" 

“What do you want, Dennis?” Steve spit, anger boiling in him already.

“We were having a nice chat earlier before things turned South. I wanted to pick up where we left off. What were we talking about again?” he chimed, feining realization. “Oh, right. James Barnes getting shipped out to die for his country. Don’t worry, I’m sure his corpse will make a great shield for a real soldier.” 

“He’s not going to die.” Steve barked as his white knuckled fist crumbled his handle on the paper bag. 

“Hmm. Yeah, no, he will. I’m certainly not gonna risk my neck for the bastard so if you really want him to survive you’re just gonna have to enlist yourse- whoops, oh wait, you can’t. 4-F I believe they call it.” Dennis mocked. “Mister Righteous Justice rejected by everything and everyone, even the country he loves. Man, that is pathetic. Honestly, though, I wish you could enlist. I would love for you to get shot and painfully bleed to death halfway around the world, I would. I am so tired of you prancing around Brooklyn acting like you can pick fights with any man and win. Look at you! Any one of us can snap you in half easy. You’re a twig. You’re just an arrogant little shit that needs to be taught his place.”

“Piss off. I don’t have time for this.” Steve ignored the threat, walking off towards the factory. Bucky asked him not to fight these thugs and he didn’t want to seriously disappoint him twice in one day.

“I didn’t say you could leave.” Dennis snarled and Steve took a step back as the crowd of men blocked his path to encircle him. Steve’s eyes darted between each man as they edged closer, frantic for who would make the first move. As he took a quick glance to his left, a thug on his right tugged viciously at his collar and every man after that moved in, throwing fists and kicking every inch of Steve that wasn’t already being beaten. The uncontrolled chaos of it all scared Steve to the pit of his soul. His mind couldn’t register what was happening besides the waves of fear and agony rippling through his body. What felt like an eternity lasted only a couple of seconds before a voice bellowed over the pounding in his ears. They all dropped him to the ground except Dennis who still clung to his collar, fist round back and ready to strike again. 

“Over here, that’s right! They’re over here, coppers, this way! They’re mugging a kid.” Bucky hollered, waving his hands in their direction as he called out to people they couldn’t see past the building blocking their view. Steve easily called Bucky's bluff but with all the racket he was making, cops were sure to pop up soon. Hopefully. Dennis' men cursed under their breath before they ditched Steve and Dennis and scrambled away. Dennis, however, fisted Steve’s collar in both hands and rammed him against the railings. 

“You’re gonna regret this.” he growled as he wrapped his hands around Steve’s throat. All air was blocked to the asthmatic boy’s lungs and his thin limbs sprawled hectically in hopes of breaking free. 

“Get away from him!” Bucky roared as his knuckled connected with Dennis’ jaw. His hands released the small blond and Steve collapsed against the rusty metal railings. The brunette wrestled Dennis to the ground, thrashing and growling like a raging beast. The black haired man caught one of Bucky’s swings and twisted, flipping him around and gaining the upper hand in the battle. Dennis stunned Bucky with one good blow to the gut and jumped up to deliver a frenzy of attacks while the man was down. Steve, barely recovering what blurry sight he could manage, tugged himself up with the creaking rails and maneuvered to a position Dennis wouldn’t see him coming. The second he found one, Steve charged low and fast tackling Dennis away from Bucky and through the old rails, flinging them both into the water. 

The long drop smacked Steve’s body hard. He couldn’t see or hear anything for the most part but he knew Bucky was safe and that was all he needed to know. The muffled splashing of water somewhere above him crossed his mind but he didn’t understand what it meant until Bucky’s arms were coiled around him as he rushed them back up to the light. Cool Brooklyn air flooded Steve’s lungs as they breached the surface. The sounds of authority calling from afar caught his attention and enough panic spiked in his groggy mind to recognize the cops hadn’t seen them yet. 

“Come on, Stevie. Let’s get out of here.” Bucky whispered, wading them both towards shore. They occasionally peaked back to watch the cops drag Dennis from the water and slap a pair of cuffs on the man. Destruction of city property. Steve thinks he was smiling when he passed out.

Steve drifted in and out of consciousness, vaguely fathoming being carried piggyback style swiftly through alleys and back doors to avoid suspicious crowds, their dripping wet clothes catching any wandering eye they passed. He felt terrible for putting Bucky through this again and strained his voice to ask forgiveness but the brunette just told Steve to hush up and to focus on breathing. Dry, desperate wheezes clawed at his throat and lungs and he stifled them down in resentment. He hadn’t even realize he was heaving so loudly and his face burned in shame. Damn his asthma. Judging by the flashes of terror before people averted their eyes, Steve figured Bucky had on his fiercest, homicidal glare. People took the hint to not look at either of them and simply let them pass. Bucky always made that face when something in Steve’s body started malfunctioning; it saved him the humility and let him focus as Bucky helped him recover. 

When they finally made it back to their apartment, Steve slowly slumped down from the broad back and Bucky ran to set a hot bath. Peeling off wet clothes is a hassle in itself but Steve couldn’t feel his arms enough to make it through the process. Everything felt wrong: his muscles were too tired, his lungs couldn’t stop jerking and gasping for air, his vision was clouded with dots and he couldn’t stop trying to blink them away. Reaching out to steady himself on the couch, his coordination failed him and a rush of gravity sent him falling. Familiarly strong arms caught the blond inches from the ground and hoisted him up and to the bath. Steve could only feel the burning water thawing out his limbs before he gave into the darkness, Bucky's fading voice promising reassurance in his ear. 

….

Steve’s eyes fluttered open as he focused in on the dark ceiling above. His mind struggled to piece together where he was as he moved to get out of bed when a surge of spasms and soreness rushed over him, clenching every muscle in his body. He felt his lungs constrict from the sudden agony and he choked out a sunken gasp. A large hand shot out and lightly pressed his chest to ease him down while the other reached over to turn on the lamp. The warmth of the callused palm against his skin soothed most of the tension away and Steve peaked through his lashes to see Bucky leaning over him, scanning the blond’s face and body. It made Steve flush and he had to clear the lump in his throat to tear Bucky’s eyes away from the rest of him. “What happened?” Steve mumbled as he strained his neck to gaze over his bandaged torso and limbs.

With an empty tone Bucky leered back to the bandages and said, “The thugs from this morning jumped you at the harbor, remember?” Shining blue irises wallowed with unshed tears at the hollowness of his best friend’s voice. Disappointment twisted the brunette’s face in ways Steve never wanted to see. Bucky was never going to forgive him.

“Oh, no Buck-” he choked, numb fingers digging into the blankets. “Bucky, please, I’m sor-”

“I’m sorry, Stevie.” Bucky sighed as he pressed his forehead onto the blond’s temple.

“Wh-What?” Steve stuttered, deciphering the thousands of possible meanings for the ambiguous apology. Did Bucky forgive him for getting into another fight? Was the apology a way of telling him Bucky was leaving him? Had Steve pushed away the last person alive that cared about him? Maybe Bucky finally had enough constantly taking care of him, putting up with sickness and injury alike. Maybe Bucky had grown to loath him for all the attention he takes. Steve couldn’t live with Bucky hating him. He needed him more than either of them knew. “Please don’t leave me, Bucky.” he begged in a small, broken voice.

Dazzling gray-blue irises softened and his hardened expression melted away. “Rogers, you know I have to.” Dejection crashed down on Steve, breaking every ounce of composure he had left and he cried. Salty tear irritated his raw cheeks as he forced his hand up to cover the whimpers slipping through his quivering lips. Bucky stiffened at the sight then launched into action, wrapping Steve in a hug almost instantaneously. “Shh, shh. Stevie, it’s ok. I’m right here.” he soothed. “I’m not gone yet, punk. I haven’t even received my orders.” Bucky huffed a quiet laugh and ran his fingers through golden locks of hair. “Don’t bother with what Dennis said. I ain’t gonna die. Not when I have you to come home to.” 

“Wait.” Steve’s eyebrows knitted. “How do you know what Dennis said?” 

“I heard him. I heard everything and I’m so sorry I screamed at you not to fight, Stevie. If anyone ever said that shit about you to me, I would rip them to shreds. He was spewing that same crap this morning too, huh?” Bucky ducked his head, cobalt eyes gleaming up apologetically. Steve gave a curt nod, trying to suppress his hiccups. 

“Yeah, uhh. Yeah but they focused more on you. Saying, umm,” Steve sniffled, “saying a lot of things they knew would hurt. Bullies, right? They always know just what buttons to press.” The lump in his throat bobbed as he fought himself to speak. “They always say such terrible things like.. that you would rather throw yourself in front of a bullet than listen to me rant over the fights I pick… Or that Dennis pities you for having to-” Steve forced his thinly pressed lips to part, nostrils flaring. “-scrape the bottom of the barrel because you feel obligated to take care of me since Ma is gone.” he choked on the end of the sentence. “And- umm- a bunch of other stuff I- uhh I can’t really say but the thing that got me was since Dennis got drafted too, he… Dammit- ehem- he said he would do you a favor and shoot you himself; that accidents happened all the time on the battlefield so.. so no one would notice or care.” Steve inhaled a jagged breath and blew it out as steadily as he could. “That’s when I punched him down screaming ‘Take it back! Take it back!’ like an idiot and the rest of his guys jumped in to kick my ass.” a humorless chuckle dying on his tongue.

Bucky laid motionless next to Steve, taking in every choppy sentence and wounded expression made as the smaller man spoke. He didn’t know what to say. All of it, everything Dennis said, none of it was true. Stevie knew that, right? “You know that’s all a load of crap, right Rogers?” Bucky quietly deadpanned with a raised eyebrow. He watched Steve open his mouth anticipating an ‘Of course I do!’ but a spark of doubt darkened the blond’s eyes as his jaw went slack before snapping up. Digging his head into his pillow and puffing his bottom lip out in a pout, Bucky furrowed his brows. “So you’ll believe Dennis but you won’t believe me.” 

Steve snapped his head up in panic. “Wha-? No! Bucky, n-” Chapped lips smashed against his own, startling the blond and sending a flurry of emotion to buzz in his stomach. They slowly molded together, lingering comfortably as Steve’s eyes fluttered shut. Bucky’s fingers rummaged through golden locks, skimming down to rest on blushing cheeks before he softly inched away.

“Do you believe me now?” Bucky smirked as Steve’s bright scarlet cheeks burned his palms. “Hold on. If you didn’t know I was talking about what Dennis said, why were you crying?” His eyes narrowed as Steve flinched away, bashful. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stevie.” the brunette’s thumbs poked at the red, puffy bags under the younger man’s eyes. 

“I kinda- maybe- thought you hated me and were going to leave forever.” Steve rushed out in a low mumble as his eyes flickered to Bucky to see his reaction. Silence drew out and suffocated the air between them. 

“Huh.” Bucky shrugged. “And here I thought you were scared I was going to die miserably.” he teased with a crooked smile that begged for affection. Steve chuckled and the entire room lightened with their beautiful laughs. “Stevie, everything Dennis said- that’s bullshit, alright? You’re a pain in the ass from dusk to dawn but I will never hate you. Ever. I’ll kiss you as many times as you need until you understand that, got it?” he pressed, pecking another kiss on the lips.

“Mhmm.” Steve hummed in agreement, eyelids drooping and his vision sliding down to catch Bucky’s mouth with his own as he leaned in. 

“Yeah, enjoy this now.” Bucky puffed with a wide smile between kisses. “Our bosses are gonna chew us out tomorrow for skipping work during our breaks.” Steve rolled his eyes and leaned back on his pillow. Pale, bony fingers intertwined with a large callused hand, gripping it tight and squeezing it a moment for reassurance. “I am sorry for yelling at you this morning but you scare me, Rogers. You really do sometimes but don’t you ever scare me like this again, alright punk?” 

“That’s a tall order, Sergeant. I don’t even qualify to join the army, are you sure you should be entrusting me with a task so vital to the future of America?” the blond drawled with a sassy flick of the eyebrow. 

“Alright. How about you promise not to do anything stupid unless I’m around? I’ll always have your back, pal, but I can’t be on the front lines imagining how many dumpsters you got tossed into before breakfast. For me, please, wait till I get back.” Bucky looked serious towards the end. 

“Alright, Bucky. But now I’m definitely gonna find a way to enlist. I ain’t getting no flag for Christmas because you were too thick headed to watch your own back. Plus you can’t navigate through downtown Brooklyn without walking in a circle two or three times, I don’t wanna imagine you out in the wilderness in another country. You’d walk straight off a cliff without me there to navigate.” Steve poked at the taller man’s ribs. 

“Is that so?” Bucky retorted with a high tone as if he were accepting a challenge. “And who’s gonna be the one to remember the coordinates back to camp? You? It's trees and bullets and more trees out there, not streets and addresses. You can’t even remember where you put our apartment keys. Honestly, how many keys have you lost this month? I swear every person in Brooklyn could unlock our door and stroll right into our home anytime they wanted thanks to you. Only reason they haven’t is 'cause we ain’t got anything worth stealing.” he laughed, rocking Steve with him and the smaller man just beamed with joy.

“We have some of Mrs. Margaret’s pie left over.” Steve speculated. “I think it’s worth stealing. It’s amazing.” 

“Yeah?” Bucky squinted with a dorky grin on his face. “Well then we better finish it before a swarm of buzzards with our keys storm in to claim it.” He pressed a kiss onto Steve’s lips and hopped out of bed. “I’ll be right back with two slices and some milk.” Steve gazed in awe as Bucky whisked off out of the room, disappearing beyond the door. He wanted this every day: him and Bucky together and goofing around, close and kissing. Yeah. This was something he needed to protect himself. He was definitely joining the army.


End file.
